JP2021167078A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a recording device that smoothly performs an adjustment of a gap between a recording head and a support surface.SOLUTION: The recording device comprises gap adjustment means 94 that adjusts in a vertical direction a gap between a recording head 10 and a support surface 17 that supports a medium P. The gap adjustment means 94 makes a carriage 20 engage with a cam member having a sliding member 114 and step-wise parts 138 arranged alternately in a width direction to interpose between the carriage and the member, so as to adjust the gap. The gap adjustment means 94 has coil springs 150 that energize the sliding member 114, in the opposite direction of a carrying direction, against the carriage 20, and slidably contact members 115 are provided at tips of the coil springs 150.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

The present invention relates to a recording device.

Conventionally, a recording device provided with a mechanism for adjusting the gap between the recording head and the support surface of the recording medium in a plurality of stages is known. For example, the gap adjusting mechanism of Patent Document 1 includes a sliding member that moves in the width direction integrally with the carriage and a cam member that moves the carriage in the vertical direction, and the gap is divided into a plurality of stages by the sliding member and the cam member. A recording device to be switched is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-14938

The recording device described in Patent Document 1 includes a coil spring that urges the carriage in a predetermined direction with respect to the sliding member, and when the gap is switched, the end face of the coil spring and the carriage slide. However, the sliding of the end face of the coil spring is hindered by the cross section of the spring, and a desired gap cannot be obtained, which may deteriorate the print quality.

The recording device includes a recording head that records on a conveyed medium, a carriage on which the recording head is mounted and movable in a width direction intersecting the conveying direction of the medium, and a carriage extending in the width direction. A gap adjusting means for displacementing the carriage in the first direction in which the gap between the guide member for guiding the carriage in the width direction and the support surface supporting the medium and the recording head at a position facing the recording head changes. The gap adjusting means is interposed between the carriage and the sliding member, and the sliding member that moves in the width direction integrally with the carriage while sliding with respect to the guide member. A stepped portion in which the maintenance surface for maintaining the position of the carriage in the first direction and the adjusting surface for changing the position of the carriage in the first direction are alternately arranged in the width direction is provided. It has a cam member and a first urging member that urges the carriage in a direction opposite to the transport direction with respect to the sliding member, and the first urging member has a space between the carriage and the first urging member. A sliding sliding contact member is provided.

An internal perspective view of the inkjet printer multifunction device according to the embodiment. External perspective view of the inkjet printer multifunction device. A cross-sectional view of the inkjet printer multifunction device in the Y direction. A perspective view of the printer unit. A cross-sectional view of the printer unit in the Y direction. Overall perspective view of the gap adjusting means. Exploded view of the gap adjusting means. Top view of the cam member. The switching diagram of the gap adjusting means to the first stage part. The switching figure of the gap adjusting means to the 2nd stage part. The switching figure of the gap adjusting means to the 3rd stage part. The switching figure of the gap adjusting means to the 4th stage part. The switching figure of the gap adjusting means to the 5th stage part. The figure of the sliding contact member of another form. The figure of the sliding contact surface and the receiving surface of another form. The figure of the sliding contact surface and the receiving surface of another form. The figure explaining the moment of a stepped receiving surface and a carriage.

Hereinafter, the outline of the recording device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, a serial type inkjet printer multifunction device 1 is given as an example of the recording device.
In the XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure, the X direction is the width direction or the scanning direction, the Y direction is the depth direction or the direction parallel to the transport direction, and the Z direction is the height direction or the vertical direction or the first direction. Is shown.
The tip side of the arrow indicating the Y direction is the front or the downstream, and the base end side is the rear or the upstream. Further, the arrow side indicating the X direction when viewed from the front of the device is on the left, and the base end side is on the right. Further, the arrow side indicating the Z direction is upward, and the base end side is downward or the gravity direction. The transport direction is a direction from the base end side to the tip end side of the arrow indicating the Y direction.

The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is loaded on a printer unit 3 having a recording unit 8 housed inside a box-shaped housing 2 and recording on a medium P, and a document on top of the printer unit 3. It includes a scanner unit 4 for reading an image.

The scanner unit 4 is rotatably provided with respect to the upper portion of the printer unit 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the scanner unit 4 has a rotation shaft 4a behind the housing 2 along the X direction, and can rotate with the front of the housing 2 as the free end 4b. The scanner unit 4 has a function as an openable / closable lid that opens the upper part of the printer unit 3 by rotating.

As shown in FIG. 3, the scanner unit 4 includes a scanner main body 40 having a reading unit (not shown) inside, and a document base cover 42 capable of opening and closing the document base 41 provided on the upper part of the scanner main body 40. The platen cover 42 can be opened and closed by itself. When the platen cover 42 is opened, the platen 41 is exposed. The reading unit reads the document placed on the platen 41. The document is placed on the document table 41 so that the reading surface faces the document table 41.

The operation unit 6 for operating the scanner unit 4 is provided in front of the device and has a liquid crystal touch panel type display function. The operation unit 6 can perform various setting operations and execution operations for recording and reading an image, as well as displaying a preview of the setting contents and an image. Although the operation unit 6 is provided in the scanner unit 4, it is also possible to set the paper type and replace the ink, which are the functions of the printer unit 3.

The printer unit 3 has a recording head 10 that records by ejecting ink toward the conveyed medium P, and a carriage 20 on which the recording head 10 is mounted and reciprocated in a width direction intersecting the conveyed direction of the medium P. The recording unit 8 has a recording unit 8 having A transport unit 33 for transporting and discharging paper to the printer is provided.

The printer unit 3 can replenish the ink reduced by recording. As shown in FIG. 1, in the printer unit 3 of the present embodiment, the liquid storage unit 24 is arranged on the front side inside the housing 2, and the liquid storage unit 24 is replenished with ink with the scanner unit 4 open. Is done. A cap 5 for closing the ink supply port is provided on the upper portion of each liquid storage portion 24. The user can open the cap 5 and inject ink into the liquid storage unit 24 from a separate ink bottle. A notch is provided in a part of the front surface 2a of the housing 2. The liquid storage unit 24 includes a window portion 3a that allows the amount of ink in the liquid storage unit 24 to be visually recognized through a notch. The liquid storage unit 24 is appropriately replenished with ink while visually recognizing the amount of ink in the liquid storage unit 24 by the user.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ink supply tube 25 is laid in the width direction in the space in front of the carriage 20 and behind the liquid storage portion 24. One port of the ink supply tube 25 for each color is connected to the liquid storage unit 24, arranged along the X direction, and extends along the width direction opposite to the installation location of the liquid storage unit 24. The ink supply tube 25 is appropriately bound and fixed together with the device frame with a binding band in a direction intersecting the ink supply tube 25 up to an intermediate point of the scanning width of the carriage 20. The ink supply tube 25 bound by the binding band is folded back in a gentle U-shape with the binding band at the intermediate point as the central axis, and extends to the position where the liquid storage portion 24 is connected. NS. The other port of the ink supply tube 25 is inserted from the front surface of the housing of the carriage 20 and connected to the recording head 10 of each color. Further, in the middle of the ink supply tube 25 folded upward in a U shape, the ink supply tube 25 is bundled in a direction intersecting with the ink supply tube 25 and is erected below the front side of the ink supply tube 25. A plate-shaped FPC regulating member 27 is provided. The FPC regulating member 27 is installed at an approximately intermediate point of the scanning width of the carriage 20, but can be provided at an arbitrary position in the X direction of the ink supply tube 25 folded upward in a U shape, or a plurality of FPC regulating members 27 can be installed. ..

Further, on the front side of the FPC regulation member 27, a flexible printed substrate 26 for transmitting an ink ejection signal to the recording head 10 is provided substantially parallel to the laying virtual line of the ink supply tube 25. One flexible printed substrate 26 is required for each color, and the flat surfaces of the flexible printed substrate 26 are laminated and bundled into one. The flexible printed substrates 26 bundled together are extended in the X direction from a position opposite to the installation location of the liquid storage unit 24 with the flat surface facing the Y direction. The extended flexible printed board 26 is connected to the recording head 10 of each color from the side surface side far from the housing of the carriage 20. As described above, the printer unit 3 provided with the serial type recording head 10 has an installation space by arranging the ink supply tube 25 and the flexible printed substrate 26 in the space in front of the carriage 20 and behind the liquid storage unit 24. Is saved.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, consider a case where recording is performed on the conveyed medium P while scanning from the position of the carriage 20 on the right side of the paper to the left. As the carriage 20 is scanned, the ink supply tube 25 extending from the right side moves while extending the portion folded upward in a U shape to the left. On the contrary, since the flexible printed substrate 26 extends from the left direction, the slack increases in the back direction of the apparatus as the carriage 20 scans. At that time, the flexible printed substrate 26 may be caught in the carriage 20 that has moved from the right direction and may be damaged. Therefore, the FPC regulating member 27 is regulated by a plate-shaped portion erected below the ink supply tube 25 so that the flexible printed substrate 26 does not loosen significantly during scanning of the carriage 20 and does not jump out into the scanning space of the carriage 20. ing.

As shown in FIG. 3, the printer unit 3 is provided with a lower cover 7 below the front surface of the housing 2. The lower cover 7 has a rotation shaft 7a at the lower portion of the lower cover 7 along the X direction. The upper part of the lower cover 7 has a free end 7b. By pulling the lower cover 7 while opening the free end 7b side forward, the lower tray 30 accommodating the medium P before recording is pulled out. With the lower cover 7 open, the user can access the upper tray 31 at the back of the device.

The printer unit 3 can accommodate a plurality of media P in the lower tray 30 and the upper tray 31 of the medium feeding unit 32, and is removable from the housing 2. The lower tray 30 and the upper tray 31 are used properly according to the size of the medium P. In the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 of the present embodiment, for example, A4 size plain paper, glossy photographic paper, thick paper such as board paper, and thin paper thinner than plain paper can be stored and recorded in the lower tray 30. For example, thick paper such as postcards and envelopes, glossy photographic paper such as L size, and the like can be stored and recorded in the upper tray 31. Further, by inserting a CD tray attached to the device (not shown) from the front of the open lower cover 7, it is possible to record on the label surface of a disc-type medium such as a CD or DVD.

Further, the paper ejection tray 12 that receives the medium P that is ejected after recording with the lower cover 7 open can be exposed. The output tray 12 is configured to be switchable between a stored state stored in the housing 2 and a protruding state protruding toward the front side of the housing 2, and receives the recorded medium P in the protruding state. Can be done. The output tray 12 is configured to be able to switch between a stored state and a protruding state by a drive source (not shown).

A pickup roller 28a that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) that constitutes the medium feeding unit 32 is provided. The pickup roller 28a is provided on the swing member 28 that swings around the swing shaft 28b. When the upper tray 31 is in the feedable position, the pickup roller 28a picks up the uppermost medium P from the upper tray 31 by rotating in contact with the uppermost medium P housed in the upper tray 31. And send it to the delivery route. For example, when the upper tray 31 is not mounted, the pickup roller 28a picks up the uppermost medium P from the lower tray 30 by rotating in contact with the uppermost medium P housed in the lower tray 30. do.

The picked up medium P is not always isolated. Therefore, in preparation for the case where the medium P is double-fed, the separating means 11 is provided at a position facing the tip of the medium P housed in the lower tray 30 and the tip of the medium P housed in the upper tray 31. The separating means 11 is in contact with the tip of the medium P drawn out from the lower tray 30 or the upper tray 31 by the rotation of the pickup roller 28a, and is fed to the downstream side of the feeding path in a state where the medium P is in contact with the separating means 11. As a result, the uppermost medium P and the next and subsequent media P are separated. Then, the medium P is a first feed driven roller 14a sandwiching the feed roller 13 so as to surround the feed roller 13, and a second feed driven roller 14b sandwiching the medium P between the feed roller 13 and the feed roller 13. Is sent to the transport unit 33 via the above.

The transport unit 33 includes a transport drive roller 15 driven by a motor (not shown) and a transport driven roller 16 that press-contacts the transport drive roller 15 and rotates drivenly, and transports the medium P to the recording unit 8 on the downstream side. Let me.

The carriage 20 of the recording unit 8 is provided with a gap adjusting means 94 that changes the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 at a position facing the recording head 10. Although the details will be described later, the gap adjusting means 94 reduces the friction between the recording head 10 and the medium by displacing the carriage 20 in the vertical direction according to the difference in the thickness of the medium P, and provides a high-quality image. It is a mechanism that adjusts to the optimum gap.

As shown in FIG. 4, the carriage 20 of the recording unit 8 is extended in the width direction and is slidably provided on a guide member 66 that guides the carriage 20 in the width direction, and the width of the medium P is provided by the drive motor 55. The recording head 10 can be scanned in the direction. The medium P is fed to the support surface 17 that supports the medium P, scans the carriage 20 in one direction while ejecting ink from the recording head 10, and further the medium P is fed forward to eject ink from the recording head 10. However, recording is performed by repeating scanning the carriage 20 in the other direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the medium P recorded by the recording unit 8 is sandwiched between the first roller 52 and the second roller 54, and the paper output tray 12 in a protruding state protruding toward the front side of the housing 2. Is discharged to. Further, when double-sided recording is performed on the medium P, after the recording is performed on the first surface of the medium P by the recording unit 8, the medium P is conveyed in the reverse direction through the conveying unit 33. That is, the paper is conveyed in the direction opposite to the conveying direction in a state of being sandwiched between the first roller 52 and the second roller 54 immediately before the paper is completely ejected to the paper ejection tray 12. At that time, the rear end of the medium P becomes the head, and the medium P is conveyed to the medium feeding unit 32 in the direction opposite to the conveying direction.

The medium P is sandwiched between the refeeding roller 18 and the feeding roller 13 of the medium feeding unit 32 and redelivered. The refeeding roller 18, the first feeding driven roller 14a, and the second feeding driven roller 14b arranged so as to surround the feeding roller 13 are sandwiched in this order, and the medium is rotated around the feeding roller 13. P is inverted with the second surface, which is the back surface of the first surface, facing upward. Then, the medium P is sent to the recording unit 8 by the transport unit 33, recorded by the recording head 10 on the second surface, and is discharged to the paper output tray 12 provided in front of the apparatus.

<Gap adjustment means>
The outline of the gap adjusting means will be described with reference to FIG.
The gap adjusting means 94 is provided at a portion of the carriage 20 that protrudes rearward from the back surface 88 of the housing and an engaging portion of the guide member 66 behind the portion. The carriage 20 on which the recording head 10 is mounted is supported by the guide member 66 via the gap adjusting means 94. The guide member 66 is fixed by being screwed on the device frame (not shown) behind the guide member 66 in a state of being overlapped with the device frame (not shown).
The guide member 66 includes a guide sliding surface 70 extending in the width direction to form the bottom surface of the guide member 66, a guide support surface 72 erected in the Z direction from the rear end surface of the guide sliding surface 70, and a guide. It includes a guide surface 74a erected in the Z direction from the front end surface of the sliding surface 70, and a regulation surface 76 extending rearward from the upper end surface of the guide surface 74a.

The plate-shaped back member 74 in contact with the back surface 88 of the housing of the carriage 20 is a part of the guide member 66 forming the guide surface 74a on the back surface thereof. The place where the gap adjusting means 94 is provided is extended rearward from the back surface 88 of the housing of the carriage 20 to the vicinity of the guide sliding surface 70 while covering the back surface member 74, and the Y direction and the Z direction are formed by walls. It is surrounded. The engaging portion between the back surface 88 of the housing of the carriage 20 surrounded by walls on all four sides and the guide member 66 is hereinafter referred to as a house portion 89. The gap adjusting means 94 is incorporated in the house portion 89.

The gap adjusting means 94 includes a sliding member 114 that slides while abutting on the guide sliding surface 70. Further, the gap adjusting means 94 includes a sliding member 114 thereof and a receiving surface 90 as an inner wall facing the back surface 88 of the housing 20 of the carriage 20 of the house portion 89. The gap adjusting means 94 includes a coil spring 150 as the first urging member shown in FIG. 7 sandwiched between the sliding member 114 and the receiving surface 90. Therefore, the receiving surface 90 as the inner wall of the house portion 89, which is a part of the carriage 20, is urged by the coil spring 150 with respect to the sliding member 114 in the direction opposite to the transport direction, and the gap adjusting means 94 is moved to the carriage 20. It can be reciprocated in the width direction together with.

FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view of the gap adjusting means 94 incorporated in the house portion 89. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the gap adjusting means 94 shown in FIG. 6 disassembled into individual parts. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the cam member 116, which will be described later, as viewed from a direction opposite to the transport direction. The structure and operation of the gap adjusting means 94 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.
As shown in FIG. 7, the gap adjusting means 94 intervenes and engages with the above-mentioned sliding member 114, the receiving surface 90, the coil spring 150, and the sliding member 114 and the receiving surface 90. A cam member 116 and an engaging member 118 that engages with the cam member 116 are provided.
The front portion of the sliding member 114 is in contact with the guide surface 74a on the back surface of the back surface member 74, which is a part of the guide member 66. The sliding member 114 has two sets of stepped engaging portions 124 in the width direction in parallel at the rear portion. In the middle of the two sets of stepped engaging portions 124, a first engaging pin 126 that engages with the notched portion 126a of the cam member 116 on the rear side is provided. The sliding member 114 is provided with one contact portion 130 at the top extending further upward from the end surface of the uppermost step portion of the two sets of stepped engaging portions 124.

The sliding member 114 is provided with a pair of projecting portions 120 projecting in the direction opposite to the transport direction at the left and right ends of the rear portion. The protrusion 120 is inserted inside the coil spring 150. The tip of the coil spring 150 is covered with a pair of left and right cap-shaped sliding contact members 115. The tip of the sliding contact member 115 has a sliding surface 91 that slides with the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 slides smoothly in the Z direction with respect to the sliding contact member 115 when adjusting the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10. The buckling of the coil spring 150 is suppressed.

Further, the left and right ends protruding from the upper portion of the sliding member 114 are provided with a tension spring 128 as a second urging member that urges the sliding member 114 in the vertical direction with the carriage 20 as the first direction. ing. A first hook portion 132 as a first connecting portion for engaging the tension spring 128 is provided at each of the left and right end portions protruding above the sliding member 114. As shown in FIG. 5, one end of the tension spring 128 is hooked to the upper end of the sliding member 114 on the first hook portion 132. The second hook portion 133 as the second connecting portion is provided on the left and right outer walls of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20, and the other end of the tension spring 128 is hooked. Assuming that when the gap is adjusted, the coil spring 150 provided on the sliding member 114 always urges the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20, so that the carriage 20 is smoothly displaced in the Z direction. May interfere with. In order to suppress this state, tension springs 128 are provided on the first hook portion 132 and the second hook portion 133 that are connected to the sliding member 114. The tension spring 128 always urges the carriage 20 hooked on the sliding member 114 upward. Therefore, the carriage 20 can be smoothly displaced in the Z direction with the sliding contact member 115 provided on the sliding member 114.

The sliding member 114 is pressed against the guide sliding surface 70 of the guide member 66 by the weight of the carriage 20, and when the carriage 20 reciprocates along the X direction, the carriage 20 moves from the guide sliding surface 70 to the guide sliding surface 70. Lifting is suppressed.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the second hook portion 133 attached to the left and right outer walls of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 is in the default state along the vertical direction with the first hook portion 132 of the sliding member 114. It is provided so that it can be hooked.
However, as shown by the broken line portion in FIG. 5, the second hook portion 133 attached to the left and right outer walls of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 is hooked rearward with respect to the first hook portion 132 of the sliding member 114. It may be provided so that it can be stopped. That is, the tension spring 128 is inclined upstream from the first hook portion 132 of the sliding member 114 in the transport direction and is hooked with the second hook portion 133 attached to the left and right outer walls of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20. NS. As a result, an urging force is generated in the direction opposite to the transport direction by the restoring force of the tension spring 128 hooked on the second hook portion 133 on the rear side of the carriage 20 via the first hook portion 132 of the sliding member 114. .. That is, the tension spring 128 can assist the coil spring 150 provided on the sliding member 114 to urge the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 in the direction opposite to the transport direction.

The sliding surface 91 may be coated with a lubricant in order to further improve the slidability. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, as a form in which the lubricant is always supplied to the sliding surface 91, for example, a groove 91a for holding the lubricant may be provided on the sliding surface 91. As another embodiment, although not shown, at least one or more concave pit portions may be provided on the sliding surface 91 to hold the lubricant and improve the slidability.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, for example, the sliding surface 91, which is one surface, is provided with a recess 91b extending in the vertical direction, and is convex to the receiving surface 90, which is the other surface that engages with the recess 91b. The part 90b may be provided to improve the slidability. The opposite pattern is also conceivable. Although not shown, the receiving surface 90, which is one surface, is provided with a concave portion extending in the vertical direction, and the sliding surface 91, which is the other surface that engages with the concave portion, is provided with a convex portion to improve slidability. You may.
Further, as shown in FIG. 16, for example, a sliding surface 91 is formed as a convex arc surface as one surface, and the other surface as a receiving surface 90 that engages with the sliding surface 91 is a concave arc surface. The slidability may be improved by forming the shape. The opposite pattern is also conceivable. Although not shown, the receiving surface 90 is formed as a convex arc surface as one surface, and the other surface as the sliding surface 91 that engages with the receiving surface 90 is formed into a concave arc surface to slide. You may improve the sex.

In the present embodiment, the coil springs 150 have the same load on both the left and right sides, but the coil springs 150 may use springs having different spring constants. When the left and right sides of the coil spring 150 have the same load as in the present embodiment, the operating noise at the time of gap adjustment tends to be loud. That is, the left and right urging forces of the coil spring 150 are two contact portions of a pair of stepped portions 138 on the left and right sides of the cam member 116, which will be described in detail later, and a sliding member 114 engaged with the stepped portion 138. The 130 and 13 support the maintenance of a gap between the recording head 10 and the support surface 17 that supports the medium P. Therefore, when the load is applied to the left and right sides of the coil spring 150, the two contact portions 130 engaged with the pair of stepped portions 138 on the left and right sides simultaneously drop a step, and a loud falling sound is generated. However, when the coil springs 150 have different urging forces at both ends in the width direction of the sliding member 114, the contact portions 130 fall on each side of the pair of stepped portions 138 on the left and right sides of the cam member 116, so that a falling noise is heard. Can be staggered. Therefore, the falling sound generated during the operation of the gap adjusting means 94 can be made relatively small.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the cam member 116 arranged behind the sliding member 114 is interposed between the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 and the sliding member 114. As shown in FIG. 8, the cam member 116 includes a pair of stepped portions 138 on the left and right which are alternately arranged in the width direction on the side in contact with the sliding member 114. A second engaging pin 136 is provided at the apex portion extending further downward from the end surface of the lowermost step portion of the stepped portion 138. As shown in FIG. 7, the second engaging pin 136 engages with the stepped engaging portion 124 of the sliding member 114 to make the cam member 116 slidable in the X direction. Further, a pair of upper engaging portions 142 are provided at the left and right ends of the upper portion of the cam member 116. As shown in FIG. 9, the upper engaging portion 142 engages with the guide groove 89a provided along the X direction of the upper portion of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 from the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 of the cam member 116. It prevents it from falling off.

As shown in FIG. 7, the engaging member 118 arranged behind the cam member 116 has a guide groove 144 extending in the X direction and an elongated hole 146 extending in the Z direction and also inclined in the X direction. And are provided side by side. As shown in FIG. 6, the first engaging pin 126 of the sliding member 114 is engaged with the guide groove 144 of the engaging member 118 via the notch 126a of the cam member 116. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the cam member 116 is provided with a third engaging pin 140 on the side opposite to the side in contact with the sliding member 114. The third engaging pin 140 of the cam member 116 is engaged with the elongated hole 146 of the engaging member 118.

Therefore, when the engaging member 118 is slid in the X direction, as shown in FIG. 6, the first engaging pin 126 of the sliding member 114 and the guide groove 144 of the engaging member 118 are engaged with each other. , The engaging member 118 and the sliding member 114 are not displaced in the Z direction. However, in the cam member 116, the third engaging pin 140 moves in the Z direction while being inclined in the X direction along the elongated hole 146 of the engaging member 118. That is, while the cam member 116 and the engaging member 118 are integrally moved in the X direction by the slide of the engaging member 118, only the cam member 116 is displaced in the Z direction by about the height of the elongated hole 146. Displacement in the Z direction means that the second engaging pin 136 of the cam member 116 is the height from the bottom to the top of the stepped engaging portion 124 of the sliding member 114.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the gap adjusting means 94 functions by combining the sliding member 114, the cam member 116, and the engaging member 118.
The power of the motor is transmitted from a pinion gear (not shown) that engages with the rack 100 provided on the upper surface of the cam member 116 to adjust the gap. For example, a case where the cam member 116 is moved from the base end side to the tip end side of the arrow in the X direction to increase the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 will be described.

The power transmitted from the pinion gear is transmitted to the rack 100 to move the cam member 116 in the X direction. The cam member 116 can move in the X direction by the length of the guide groove 89a provided along the X direction of the upper portion of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20. At that time, the cam member 116 is displaced upward while moving in the X direction while its second engaging pin 136 is engaged with the stepped engaging portion 124 of the sliding member 114. As described above, since the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 and the upper engaging portion 142 of the cam member 116 are engaged, the carriage 20 is integrally displaced upward with the cam member 116.

With reference to FIGS. 8 to 13, the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 due to the operation of the gap adjusting means 94 will be described. As described above, the structure of the gap adjusting means 94 has the same stepped portion on the left and right sides, and both sets are interlocked to perform the same operation. Therefore, only one set will be described.
The gap adjusting means 94 in FIGS. 9 to 13 shows a cross section AA'in the Z direction of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the cam members 116 are alternately arranged in the width direction on the side in contact with the sliding member 114, and cam portions provided with stepped portions 138 in the vertical direction are provided. The stepped portion 138 of the cam portion is composed of a maintenance surface that maintains the position of the carriage in the vertical direction and an adjustment surface that connects the maintenance surfaces with an inclination to change the position of the carriage in the vertical direction. .. Specifically, the first step portion 138a, the second step portion 138c, the third step portion 138e, the fourth step portion 138g, the fifth step portion 138i as the gap maintenance surface, and the first inclination as the gap adjustment surface. It has a portion 138b, a second inclined portion 138d, a third inclined portion 138f, and a fourth inclined portion 138h. That is, the step portions 138a, 138c, 138e, 138g, 138i and the inclined portions 138b, 138d, 138f, 138h are alternately arranged in a stepped manner in the width direction.

Any one of the first step portion 138a, the second step portion 138c, the third step portion 138e, the fourth step portion 138g, and the fifth step portion 138i engages with the contact portion 130 of the sliding member 114 to define the gap. And maintain the gap. Further, the first inclined portion 138b, the second inclined portion 138d, the third inclined portion 138f, and the fourth inclined portion 138h change the gap when the cam member 116 slides with respect to the sliding member 114.

When the cam member 116 slides in the X direction with respect to the sliding member 114, the contact portion 130 engages with each step portion 138a, 138c, 138e, 138g, 138i in order, or the cam member 116 engages with the sliding member 114. On the other hand, when sliding in the opposite direction along the X direction, the contact portion 130 engages with each step portion 138i, 138g, 138e, 138c, 138a in order, so that the gap distance can be changed.

Next, each gap will be described. In FIG. 9, the first step portion 138a of the stepped portion 138 of the cam member 116 and the contact portion 130 of the sliding member 114 are in contact with each other. At this time, the height of the first step portion 138a in the Z direction is set so that the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 is minimized. This gap is set, for example, when recording on photographic glossy paper.

Next, in FIG. 10, the second step portion 138c of the stepped portion 138 of the cam member 116 and the contact portion 130 of the sliding member 114 are in contact with each other. At this time, the height of the second stage portion 138c in the Z direction displaces the position of the carriage 20 one step above the setting where the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 is the minimum. This gap is set, for example, when recording on plain paper. Further, it is set to avoid rubbing when the recording head 10 comes into contact with the glossy photographic paper when recording is performed with the minimum setting, so-called rubbing occurs.

Next, in FIG. 11, the third step portion 138e of the stepped portion 138 of the cam member 116 and the contact portion 130 of the sliding member 114 are in contact with each other. At this time, the height of the third stage portion 138e in the Z direction displaces the position of the carriage 20 two steps above the setting where the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 is the minimum. This gap is set to avoid rubbing when rubbing occurs, for example, when recording is performed on plain paper with the one-step gap setting.

Next, in FIG. 12, a state in which the fourth step portion 138 g of the stepped portion 138 of the cam member 116 and the contact portion 130 of the sliding member 114 are in contact with each other. At this time, the height of the fourth step portion 138 g in the Z direction displaces the position of the carriage 20 three steps above the setting where the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 is the minimum. This gap is set when recording on thick paper such as board paper.

Next, in FIG. 13, the fifth step portion 138i of the stepped portion 138 of the cam member 116 and the contact portion 130 of the sliding member 114 are in contact with each other. At this time, the height of the fifth stage portion 138i in the Z direction is set so that the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 is maximized. This gap is set when recording on a label such as a CD.

As shown in FIG. 17, in the gap adjusting means 94 in the present embodiment, the upper support surface 66a erected in the direction of gravity from the upper part of the guide member 66 and the upper sliding of the carriage 20 in contact with the upper support surface 66a. The moment applied to the surface 20a changes due to the displacement of the carriage 20 in the Z direction. For example, consider the case where the carriage 20 is displaced in the direction of gravity by adjusting the gap, and the solid line shown in FIG. 17 becomes a broken line. The center of gravity point MG1 of the carriage 20 changes to the center of gravity point MG2. Since the upper sliding surface 20a, which is a rotation fulcrum, remains as it is, the line segment connecting the upper sliding surface 20a and the center of gravity MG2 is longer than the line segment connecting the upper sliding surface 20a and the center of gravity MG1. .. That is, the moment changes due to the displacement of the carriage 20 in the Z direction. Therefore, if the urging force of the coil spring 150 applied to the receiving surface 90 of the carriage does not change, the moment applied to the carriage 20 changes. Therefore, in order to make the moment applied to the carriage 20 by the gap adjusting means 94 constant, the receiving surface 90 of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 is provided with a stepped step toward the Z direction, which is the first direction. As a result, the gap adjusting means 94 can balance the moment applied to the carriage 20 by increasing or decreasing the urging force of the coil spring 150 with respect to the displacement of the carriage 20 in the Z direction.

As described above, according to the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 as one embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
In the inkjet printer multifunction device 1, the guide member 66 is extended in the width direction, and while scanning the carriage 20 in the width direction, the medium P supported on the support surface 17 by the recording head 10 mounted on the carriage 20. Record in. The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 includes a gap adjusting means 94 that vertically displaces the carriage 20 in the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 at a position facing the recording head 10. In the gap adjusting means 94, the maintenance surface and the adjusting surface are alternately arranged in the width direction so as to be interposed between the sliding member 114 that moves in the width direction integrally with the carriage 20 and the carriage 20 and the sliding member 114. It is provided with a cam member 116 having a stepped portion 138. A pair of projecting portions 120 are provided at the rear left and right ends of the sliding member 114 of the gap adjusting means 94, and a coil spring 150 is provided on the outside of the projecting portions 120. The coil spring 150 urges the carriage 20 with respect to the sliding member 114 in a direction opposite to the transport direction.

In the inkjet printer multifunction device 1, the end of the coil spring 150 is the receiving surface of the carriage 20 by providing the sliding contact member 115 between the tip of the coil spring 150 provided on the sliding member 114 and the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20. It is suppressed from being caught in 90. As a result, the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 suppresses the deviation of the central axis between the sliding contact member 115 and the coil spring 150 by inserting the inside of the coil spring 150 into the protruding portion 120 provided on the sliding member 114. Further, the coil spring 150 is less likely to buckle when adjusting the gap, and the gap between the support surface 17 supporting the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 is provided with a sliding contact member 115 between the tip of the coil spring 150 provided on the sliding member 114 and the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20. The sliding contact member 115 is provided with a groove for holding the lubricant on the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 and the sliding surface 91 on the sliding contact member 115 side. Therefore, the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 can slide smoothly because the friction coefficient is lowered by applying the lubricant to the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 and the sliding surface 91 of the sliding contact member 115. As a result, the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

In the inkjet printer multifunction device 1, the center of gravity of the carriage 20 is changed by displacing the carriage 20 by the gap adjusting means 94. However, the upper sliding surface 20a, which is a rotation fulcrum, remains as it is. Therefore, the moment, which is a line segment connecting the upper sliding surface 20a, which is a rotation fulcrum, and the center of gravity of the carriage 20, changes. That is, if the urging force of the coil spring 150 applied to the receiving surface 90 of the carriage does not change even though the moment changes due to the displacement of the carriage 20 in the Z direction, the moment applied to the carriage 20 becomes not constant. .. Therefore, the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 is provided with a stepped step on the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 in the Z direction. The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 can balance the moment applied to the carriage 20 by increasing or decreasing the urging force of the coil spring 150 with respect to the displacement of the carriage 20 in the Z direction. As a result, the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

In the inkjet printer multifunction device 1, the sliding surface 91 of the sliding contact member 115 or the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 is engaged with each other by providing a concave portion or a convex portion extending in the vertical direction. , The sliding contact member 115 is prevented from being caught on the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20. As a result, the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 is provided with a sliding contact member 115 between the tip of the coil spring 150 provided on the sliding member 114 and the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20. The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 has a shape that reduces the friction coefficient between the sliding surface 91 and the receiving surface 90 of the sliding contact member 115. The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 slides by providing a convex arc surface or a concave arc surface on either the sliding surface 91 of the sliding contact member 115 or the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 and engaging them. The sliding surface 91 of the contact member 115 is prevented from being caught on the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20. As a result, the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 is provided with a tension spring 128 as a second urging member that urges the carriage 20 in the vertical direction at the left and right ends protruding above the sliding member 114 of the gap adjusting means 94. ing. However, when the urging force for urging the carriage 20 is insufficient, the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 conveys the second hook portion 133 provided on the outer wall of the house portion 89 of the carriage 20 with the tension spring 128 in the vertical direction. Place it at an angle to the upstream side in the direction. As a result, an urging force is generated in the direction opposite to the transport direction by the restoring force of the tension spring 128 hooked on the second hook portion 133 on the rear side of the carriage 20 via the first hook portion 132 of the sliding member 114. .. That is, the tension spring 128 can assist the coil spring 150 provided on the sliding member 114 to urge the receiving surface 90 of the carriage 20 in the direction opposite to the transport direction. As a result, the gap between the support surface 17 that supports the medium P and the recording head 10 is stabilized, so that the print quality is improved.

The inkjet printer multifunction device 1 usually supports the carriage 20 by the urging force of a pair of coil springs 150 on the left and right, and a sliding member 114 that is engaged with a pair of stepped portions 138 on the left and right of the cam member 116. The two contact portions 130 of the above support maintaining a gap between the recording head 10 and the support surface 17 that supports the medium P. Therefore, when the load is applied to the left and right sides of the coil spring 150, a loud falling noise is generated when the two contact portions 130 engaged with the pair of stepped portions 138 on the left and right sides simultaneously drop the step.

Therefore, in the inkjet printer multifunction device 1, the coil spring 150 changes the spring constants and the like so that the urging forces differ from each other at both ends in the width direction of the sliding member 114, and a pair of stepped portions 138 are provided on the left and right sides of the cam member 116. The contact portion 130 can change the drop timing on each side. Therefore, the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 can reduce the falling noise generated during the operation of the gap adjusting means 94. As a result, the inkjet printer multifunction device 1 can suppress sounds that make the user uncomfortable.

1 ... Inkjet printer multifunction device as a recording device, 10 ... Recording head, 17 ... Support surface for supporting a medium, 20 ... Carriage, 66 ... Guide member, 90 ... Receiving surface, 90b ... Convex portion, 91 ... Sliding surface, 91a ... Groove holding lubricant, 91b ... Recess, 94 ... Gap adjusting means, 114 ... Sliding member, 115 ... Sliding contact member, 116 ... Cam member, 120 ... Protruding part, 128 ... As second urging member Tension spring 138 ... Stepped portion, 138a ... First step portion as the first maintenance surface, 138c ... Second step portion as the second maintenance surface, 138e ... Third step portion as the third maintenance surface, 138 g ... 4th step portion as the 4th maintenance surface, 138i ... 5th step portion as the 5th maintenance surface, 138b ... 1st inclined portion as the 1st adjusting surface, 138d ... 2nd inclined portion as the 2nd adjusting surface 138f ... Third inclined portion as the third adjusting surface, 138h ... Fourth inclined portion as the fourth adjusting surface, 150 ... Coil spring as the first urging member.

Claims (8)

A recording head that records on the transported medium,
A carriage on which the recording head is mounted and movable in the width direction intersecting the transport direction of the medium,
A guide member extending in the width direction and guiding the carriage in the width direction,
A gap adjusting means for displacing the carriage in a first direction in which a gap between a support surface supporting the medium and the recording head changes at a position facing the recording head is provided.
The gap adjusting means is
A sliding member that moves in the width direction integrally with the carriage while sliding with respect to the guide member.
A maintenance surface that is interposed between the carriage and the sliding member and maintains the position of the carriage in the first direction, and an adjustment surface that changes the position of the carriage in the first direction are in the width direction. Cam members with staircases arranged alternately in
It has a first urging member that urges the carriage in a direction opposite to the transport direction with respect to the sliding member.
The first urging member is provided with a sliding contact member that slides between the first urging member and the carriage.
A recording device characterized by. The first urging member is a coil spring.
The sliding member has a protruding portion that protrudes inside the coil spring.
The recording device according to claim 1. The sliding contact member has a sliding surface that slides on the carriage.
The sliding surface shall be provided with a groove for holding the lubricant.
The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The carriage has a receiving surface that slides with the sliding surface.
The receiving surface is provided with a step in the shape of a staircase toward the first direction.
The recording device according to claim 3. A recess extending in the first direction is provided on either one of the sliding surface and the receiving surface.
The other surface is provided with a convex portion that engages with the concave portion.
The recording device according to claim 4. One of the sliding surface and the receiving surface is a concave arc surface.
The other surface should be a convex arc surface,
The recording device according to claim 4 or 5. The gap adjusting means has a second urging member that urges the sliding member in the first direction with respect to the carriage.
The second connecting portion of the second urging member connected to the carriage shall be located upstream of the first connecting portion connected to the sliding member in the transport direction.
The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The first urging member is provided at both ends of the sliding member in the width direction, and the urging forces are different from each other.
The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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